Student finance

Social class differences and money problems are both issues that have long affected university students. I dealt with these issues as an undergraduate and they have been widely reported in the media, sometimes in terms of explaining the increased rate of mental health problems among students. This has made me reflect on my time at a Russell Group university. 

“Ensure students have the money to live.” This was the top recommendation in the National Union of Students’ first report into class and poverty in post-16 education in the UK.

The recommendation struck me. It struck me that we still have to remind the government to provide enough funding just so that students can survive and that those in power still need to be told that students are struggling to make ends meet.

How much does it cost to study at a university in China? If you are interested in studying in the country, one of the most important things to consider is how much everything is going to cost. This essential guide breaks down the cost of every aspect of university life to ensure that you have everything covered. 

Note that prices and exchange rates are correct at the time of publication and may vary from those shown here. Some prices have been rounded up or down. 

Tuition fees

Financial education has been on the national curriculum since 2014 but students are still leaving school without knowing how to manage their money.

The 2017 National Student Money Survey found that 84 per cent of university students are stressed about money, one in two fail to understand their loan agreement, and 75 per cent wish that they had received better financial education.

Two Italian universities have been crowned the cheapest universities in Europe, according to new analysis by foreign exchange company FairFX. 

Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa and Scuola Superiore Sant’ Anna have been named the cheapest for both EU and non-EU students because there are no tuition fees and the university covers living costs for all students. 

US universities are the most likely to produce the highest number of millionaires, according to new research.   

Some 17 spots out of the top 20 were taken by US universities. These include six of the eight Ivy League schools (Princeton University). 

The London School of Economics and Political Science rounds off the top 20 table in 20th place.  

Your time at university will fly by and be over before you know it – just ask any graduate. How you use this period can help build a strong foundation for the rest of your life. I’ve spent the past 12 months interviewing more than 50 of the UK’s most successful students, who offered their advice on how to succeed during this period of your life. Here are 10 of their top tips. 

The best-value European countries to head to for quality education are Italy, Germany and Finland, according to currency and travel money expert FairFX.

The company also looked at the top European universities, based on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018, and analysed their tuition fees and living cost to determine the most affordable and the most expensive. 

UK: Applications for Chevening programme are now open

Applications for university scholarships under the Chevening Programme, for courses due to start in August 2018 in the UK, are now open. The Chevening Programme was set up by the UK government to provide scholarships to 1500 students from around the world to study for a master's at a UK university. 

The deadline for applications in 7 November 2017. 

More information can be found here

Two-thirds of university students think that the maintenance loan is not enough to cover their living expenses, new research has found. 

The survey, carried out by student finance website Save the Student, surveyed 2,316 students about their financial situation and the effect that it had on their mental health. Some 66 per cent of the respondents felt that the maintenance loan left them struggling to get by and 50 per cent said that they had experienced mental health issues because of financial concerns.